Angle head



Patented May 18, 1943 UNITED STATESJ PATENT OFFICE t AN GLE` HEAD Melvorne J. McCombs, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to The Btuckeye Tools Corporation, a corporation Application February 5, 1941, Serial No. 377,533

2 claims. (c1. v4-42s) Thisinvention relates to an angle head for tools of the type" in which the working element rotates on an axis at an angle to the axis of the driving shaft. Angle heads of this general type have been used heretofore but have not been entirely satisfactory for various reasons, such as the ex-cessive friction developed in use, the heavy pressure exerted by the driven pinion on the driving pinion when the working element is pressed forcibly against the work, and, in some cases at least, .because of highl cost.

One object of the invention is to provide an angle head of such a character that friction therein will be negligible.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an angle head in which the thrust on the driven member will be so controlled as to :prevent pressure thereby on the driving member.

' A further object of the invention is to provide such an angleV head in which the thrust receiving element can be readily renewed when worn t such an extent as to cause friction.

A further object of the invention is to `provide an angle head of simpleA construction and'high efficiency which can be produced at a `low cost. 225

` as connected with-a motor driven tool but it will be understood that the angle head may take various forms and may be driven from any suitable source of power.

In the particular construction illustrated the angle head as a whole comprises a supporting structure which -is preferably inthe form of a casing` 5 including two tubular portions 6 and 'I arranged at an angle one to the other, and in the present arrangement the tubular portion 6 of the casing is of a length substantially greater than the portion 1. The two tubular portions are arranged at right angles one to the other. It will be obvious, however, that the relative lengths of the two tubular portions of the casing and the angle at which they are connected one with the other mayo-be varied as desired. `The tubular portion 6 of the casing,` inthe arrange-` which the outer portion Il'is mounted and rigto the internal diameters of the'tube 1. v ner or small diameter portion of the driven meniidly secured. The outer portion II of the shaft extends into the casing 8 where it is provided with a head I2 which is supported on a ball bearing I3 which prevents `the inward axial movement of the shaft asa whole, and a nut I4, conned between the bearing and the outer portion 9 of the shaft, prevents the outward movement of the shaft. The driving shaft is connected with a motor of any suitable kind mounted in the casing not here shown, by means of suitable power transmitting mechanism which, in the present instance, is inthe form of planetary gearing and the vertical members I5of the planetary gearing cage extend through openings in the head I2 of the shaft to connect the latter with the gearing. This specific driving mechanism is peculiar to the particular tool to which the angle head is applied and it will be understood that the shaft may be connected with the motor in any suitable manner, and thatit is not necessary that the motor should be containedin and form a part of the tool itself. 1

An inner portion 9 of the driving shaft is pro.- vided near its inner end with a circumferential race I6 in which are mounted anti-fritcion rollers I1 which contact with the surrounding wall of the casing. A beveled pinion `I8 is secured to the inner end of the shaft for rotation therewith and is here shown as formed integral with the inner portion of the shaft. The shaft being held against axial movement it willbe obvious that the pinion I8 rotates in a fixed position with relation to the casing. I .v

The driven member I8 is rotatably mounted in the shorter tubular member 'I of the casing. This driven member may take various forms and may be mounted in the casing in various ways. As here shown the tubular portion 'I of the cas- -ing is provided with an inner portion 20 having a relatively small internal diameter and with an outer Vportion 2| having a relatively large internal diameter. `The driven member I9 is`isimi larly` shaped so as to correspond approximately 'I'heinber is provided with a ball race 22 in which are mounted bearing balls 23` which have bearing contact with the small diameter wall of the tube. The large diameter portion of the driven member is provided with a ball recess '24 in which are mounted bearing Iballs 25 .which contact with the large diameter wall of thetube and also with a `closure 26 for the outer end of the tube, this closure being here shown as a cap screw threaded onto Vthe-tubel and providedwith an opening 21 through which` thehouter portion `of the-"driven memberprojects. 1 Q L .'A' pinion 28 issecured to the inner endof the driven member I9 for rotation therewith and, in the present instance, is shown as formed integral ythe driven pinion.

with the driven member. This driven pinion 28 is in constant mesh with the driving pinion I8 but it is held against axial movement, due to end thrust thereon, so as to prevent it from exerting any appreciable pressure on the driving pinion. For this purpose the driven pinion 23 and the casing are provided with opposed parts one of which has a projection in axial alinement with the driven member and having bearing Contact with the other pant, so as to function as a thrust bearing. In the particular construction here shown the angular portion of the casing, at the point of connection with the two tubular portions, is provided with an inwardly extending projection 29 which constitutes an abutment having a bearing surface in line with and transverse to the axis of the driven member I9 and the driven pinion is provided with an axial projection 3G, the outer end portion, at least, of which is of small diameter and has a narrow, or substantially point, contact with the bearing surface of the casing projection 29. Preferably the projection 39 has a substantially semi-spherical end portion to engage the bearing surface of the part 29. The inwardly :projecting part 29 of rthe casing may comprise a single piece but I prefer that the bearing surface for the axial projection on the driven `pinion shall be renewable. I have therefore provided the casing with an opening 3l extending through the same and through the abutment 29 in axial alinement with the axial projection 39 on A screw threaded bearing member 32 is mounted in this opening and isl provided with means, such as a kerf 33, lby which it may be adjusted from the exterior of the casing .to position the inner or bearing end thereof with relation to the inner surface of the abutment 29 as a whole. rIhe screw threaded bearing member .32, or. at least the inner portion thereof, is hardened to provide the inner end thereof with a wear resisting bearing surface, but if and when this bearing surface becomes so worn as to cause friction .the bearing member may be removed and renewed, either by replacing it .with a new bearing member or by removing the worn end portion .thereof by grinding, filing or the like, and then reinserting the same in the opening 3l. The bearing member being here shown in the form of a headless screw it will be apparent that it can be inserted in the opening far enough to properly position the inner end thereof vwith relation to the axial projection on the driven pinion without projecting beyond the outer. surface of the casing. In the present construction the inwardly extend,- ing projection 29 of the ,casing is spaced a short distance from the driving pinion i8 and, as above explained, this pinion is held by its shaft against axial movement and therefore cannot move into eng-agement with the projection 29, and the contact of the axial projection 3B of the driven pinion with the abutment prevents that pinion from exerting any appreciable pressure upon the driving pinion regardless of the amount of pressure which is exerted on the driven member.

The outer portion of the driven member i9 which projects beyond the tubular portion 'l of the casing may be provided with any suitable means for connecting the same with 4a working element or implement which is to be actuated thereby. In the present instance, it is provided with a tapered shank 34 by means of which the chuck 35 may be attached thereto.

It will be apparent from the foregoing descripvaxial projection on the driven pinion eiectually prevents any inward axial movement of the driven member and therefore prevents the driven pinion from exerting pressure on the driving pinion. The several parts of the device lare simple in construction and may :be produced and assembled at a relatively low cost.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details thereof as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having now ffully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an angle head for a tool, a casing having two tubular portions arranged at an angle one to the other, a driving member rotatably mounted in one of said tubular portions and including a pinion rigid therewith, a driven member rotatably mounted in the other of said tub-ular portions and including a pinion rigid therewith and meshing with the first mentioned pinion, said casing having at the junction of said tubular portions an integral abutment extending inwardly beyond the axis of said driving member, said abutment and the wall of said casing having an opening therethrough in alinement with the axis of said driven member, a bearing member rigidly supported in said opening and having at its inner ensd a substantially flat bearing surface adjacent the pinion of said driven member and transverse to the axis thereof, said bearing member also having means operable from the exterior of seid casing whereby it may be adjusted toward and from the :pinion of said ldriven member, the pinion of said driven member having an axial projection rigid therewith, tapered substantially to a point and having point contact with the nat bearing surface of said bearing member to provide a substantially frictionless thrust bearing for said driven member.

2. In an angle head for a tool, a casing having two tubular portions arranged at an angle one to the other, a driving shaft rotatably mounted in one of said tubular portions and held against axial movement therein, a beveled pinion rigid with the inner end of said shaft, the other tubular portion being of less length than the first mentioned tubular portion and having a greater internal diameter at its outer end than at its inner end, a driven member rotatably mounted in the last mentioned tubular portion, having longitudinal spaced diameters approximating the corresponding diametersi of said tubular portion and having ball races, and bearing balls mounted in said races .and engaging the wall of said tubular lportion, a closure for the outer end of said. tu;- bular portion engaging the balls' in one of. said races and havingan opening through which the outer portion of said driven member extends, and a pinion rigid with the inner end of said driven member and provided with an axial projection having a narrow endy portion to contact a fixed .part of said casing. 

